Prophetic Meditations: Must I drink from this cup again?

As I've shared with you before, I recently turned 60 and can hardly believe it some days, although I can sure feel it! In 1976, at the age of 22, Jesus appeared to me and I was gloriously saved and "Born Again" into the Kingdom of the Father. But now, nearly 38 years later, I'm still learning and struggle at times in the area of prophetic expressions and functioning. My husband and I have been very blessed in the past year and a half to be embraced and part of a ministry that is Apostolic/ Prophetic in "nature" with the New Testament model of Ascension Gifts functioning together as a team. This is as close to the NT church described throughout scripture we have witnessed in the years of serving in various local churches in leadership capacities and in the ministry of helps. However, our current church leadership will bring correction as needed, not to humiliate, but to help adjust the heart. Let's be honest folks, we ALL have blind spots and prophetic people have a tendency to become puffed up because of the "abundance of revelations"...(2 Cor. 12:7) Every now and again we need a pastoral pin to pop the bubble of haughtiness in a spirit of love and pastoral care. Sometimes God will use a donkey to do it if we become too thick headed like Balaam, but He'll still do it. Sure it stings, but God chastens those whom He loves, doesn’t He? 

As some reading this may have experienced themselves, we've been misused, abused and/or taken advantage of at different times by spiritual leadership with their own unresolved ‘issues’. However, that cannot and will not nullify the grace of God in us nor does it exempt us from being above correction. Sometimes my 'perception' was skewed due to past hurts and my own unresolved rejection issues. I've had to learn to work through these things in the past and with my current spiritual leadership but trust Papa to continue to lead and adjust me according to His will while believing Romans 8:28; He indeed is working all things together for our good... even the ugly things we have buried deep inside of us or happen to us because of ‘life’ as we place them on His potter’s wheel. 

Someone mentioned in a post I was reading yesterday about the timing of God and His gifts making room for us. This is a fact (Proverbs 18:16). I believe the prophetic ministry is unique concerning timing in that it can takes years sometimes decades for God to get a vessel prepared and ready enough to deliver His "now word" to the Body of Christ in the right spirit. Meanwhile, He uses and refines us in the process as we spin around wildly at times on the potter's wheel. It's not always pleasant but needed for growth, in order to build up the body of Christ to which we are called. It comes down to the fact that our preparation and the process involved is the most important thing because His gifts are not for us: they are given "through" us FOR the Body of Christ and to a lost broken world with hurting people. For this reason, we must be and remain connected "to" the Head, Christ, and His Body even in the midst of its dysfunction, disease and distress at times and in various places. He’s still the Head of it and in control no matter what it may appear, sound or look like to the natural eye or ear. 

Staying connected to His Body is what enables the Father to refine and heal us while we minister His life in the same organism He's placed us in. A healthy body has the ability to heal itself. An unhealthy body can self-destruct, through spiritual auto-immune disorders. One function of the prophet is to enlighten the Body to 'see' how much we need each other and how we must function together to rid ourselves from these auto immune diseases so we can mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ in us. (Galatians 5: 15; Ephesians 4: 13-16) 

We must never give up pressing in to the heart of the Father. That's where we find peace, restoration and the grace to continue on in the journey of what He's called us to 'be'. What He calls us to "do" is merely an overflow of "being" (John 15).  There is a purpose to every season you go through…even those lone, dark, stark times when you feel rejected, isolated or alone. Remember, HE is there working IN you and perfecting everything that concerns you. (Psalms 138: 8)  

There will be many Garden of Gethsemane experiences we will go through in this journey of faith. During those times we will need to revisit the cup He’s called us to drink from while groaning before the Father for the grace to continue to drink it. Each of our lives are attached to souls for the edification and salvation of those He's called to us as we continue to die to our own wills. It is a joyful journey but at times it can be long and hard as we choose to embrace the path of the cross. However, the journey always takes a 'right' turn as His glory continues to be revealed by beholding His beautiful face directly and through every member of His Body! The rewards He has in store for those who choose to persevere through the press are beyond comprehension this side of Heaven and there is blessing on the way! (1 Cor. 2: 9)

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Cor 3: 18